Deauville, a land of images, a city with an intimate and privileged connection with those who frame, capture, and tell stories—whether through books, film, or photography. And it is no surprise that we will be focusing on the latter medium today.
We owe this photographic dialogue to Philippe Augier, mayor of Deauville, who wanted to establish a lasting relationship of trust and creativity between the city and visual artists. For sixteen years, this connection has been embodied by the Planches Contact festival, which has become an event for photography enthusiasts and is renowned for its bold approach and commitment to the spirit of residency.
Here, photography does not merely document reality: it invents new ways of seeing. As Susan Sontag described it, images are “pieces of the world, miniatures of reality.” In Deauville, photographers collect, cut, and compose pieces of Normandy to better open windows onto the region. Since its inception, more than 170 artists have explored its landscapes, from its iconic Planches to the inland countryside, from cozy interiors to windswept seasides.
An edition marked by intimacy
It was therefore amid the stormy winds of autumn that this 16th edition opened, with intimacy as its theme. Capturing the invisible. How do the spaces we inhabit shape our perspective, our personal narratives, our memories? Revealing what lies behind appearances. This was the challenge set for the twenty artists selected this year.
Among them were guest photographers Lin Zhipeng, Myriam Boulos, Carline Bourdelas, Renato D’Agostin, Julien Magre, Anna Malarida, Amna Rafael Minkkinen, Henrike Stahl, and Frédéric Stucin, as well as the candidates for the Young Photographic Creation Award, Jérémy Appert, Simon Bouillère, Naïma Lecomte, and Anaïs Ondet. Also included are artists supported by the photo4food foundation grant: Daniel Blaufuks, Adrien Boyer, Amélie Chassary, and Marilia Destot.
Their perspectives and works were unveiled October 22, 2025, until January 5, 2026.
What’s changing this year
This sixteenth edition of the festival stands out thanks to several new developments:
- A new artistic direction, entrusted to Jonas Tebibet (art market) and Lionel Charrier (press), who bring a fresh perspective to the festival.
- A redesigned visitor experience, taking place in various iconic locations around the city: Les Franciscaines, Le Point de Vue, as well as outdoor venues such as the beach and the Quai de l’Impératrice Eugénie. This was not without risk, as demonstrated by the strong winds that forced the removal of Frédéric Stucin’s installation on the day of the press visit.
- An international outlook, with an off-site residency on the same theme of intimacy, led in Beirut by Myriam Boulos (Magnum photos).
- A strengthened commitment to young creators, with the overhaul of the program now called the Young Photographic Creation Award, an expanded jury, and a new chairmanship entrusted to Rima Abdul-Malak. On October 26, Naïma Lecomte won the prize and will benefit from an exhibition during the InCadaqués festival, while the winner of the Jury Prize will be offered a residency at the Villa Pérochon, Centre d’art contemporain photographique de Niort.
- A guest of honor, Samuel Becker, who offers a selection of books on the theme of intimacy.
Solidarity & philanthropy
Planches Contact is also committed to social causes. Since 2020, the festival has been working with the photo4food foundation, which funds meals for the most disadvantaged. This partnership has also made it possible to increase the number of photography residencies and enrich the program. This year, four artists received support to create works that were exhibited at the festival and then sold to benefit the Red Cross. An auction during the opening weekend also offered 24 prints from the residencies, and a Solidarity Boutique allows visitors to purchase works from previous editions at a fixed price.
Planches Contact is a dense and lively festival and, in the words of its founder, a festival that offers “a moment of respite in a world saturated with images and videos that follow one another, distract us, but ultimately deprive us of the time to observe, understand, and feel.” ”
So, head to Deauville to breathe in the scent of the sea spray and the precious smell of time regained.
Festival Planches Contact 2025
October 18, 2025 – January 4th, 2026
planchescontact.fr
